Pregnant and Husband is nuts_Strop Compound

Mischief · #1 03-13-2008, 07:42 AM

I am pregnant and hubby is just my safety king man. He has been questioning what is in my stropping compound from Little Shaver. Is it natural? Is there lead in it? Am I sure its safe? Dont get woodchips on his baby...AGGGG!
So...can someone please tell me what is in that Stropping compound?

squbrigg · #2 03-13-2008, 07:50 AM

Congratulations!!! While you will have time over the next few months, to put your feet up and carve, I imagine that freedom will diminish once the baby arrives! So enjoy it now.

From the little I know, I believe that strop compound is just wax and the particles are carbide, but perhaps someone else here knows more about them.

Best of luck with your pregnancy and your husband! LOL

Bob

Keoma · #3 03-13-2008, 08:09 AM

Congratulations Congratulations!
You know my husband was just as nuts...he was panicked about every fleck of sawdust!
I have to tell you, and please all you amazing carvers don't jump on me, when I was watching my Grandpa with his lather strop and my dad with his wet stone, they would just spit on them! It works and it's All Natural and No lead! Eh?

Good luck!

Mischief · #4 03-13-2008, 09:17 AM

Keoma,

Is it true that I wont have time to carve once baby is born? Sob!sob! I started this because of the baby. I wanted to carve stuff to decorate room and make a nice mobile. I am suddenly sadden by the realisation that I might no longer have time for this.

Keoma · #5 03-13-2008, 10:10 AM

OH NO NO NO NO!!!!! Don't panick and don't set that as a limitation! You can do anything when you have a baby! I did my woodworking right up untill 2 days before my youngest was born. Those 2 days I was busy canning apple butter!

The only thing I quit was my lathe...for obviouse reasons

My sons both slept in there little playpens while I worked outside. I had one of those mosquito nets to keep buggies off of them and it also kept of any errant sawdust too!
You will have plenty of time! Its all in how you manage it! Get your house work done in the am during that nap time and then when he goes down for the after noon you can carve. Besides watching mommies work from their crib would be extra special !

Now, both my boys are in the shop with me. 10 and 5. Mama's boys!
Carving a mobile is a particularly brilliant idea you know! What heirlooms! Keep heart and remember do NOT set limitations for yourself! Women are awesome and mommies rock!

Mischief · #6 03-13-2008, 05:32 PM

Thanks!!...but still back to the question....what is in Stropping compounds?
My knives are getting blunt ...crazy man wont let me use the stuff

BobT · #7 03-13-2008, 06:03 PM

I know that the Green variety has Chromium Oxide in it and that is suppoed to be bad for you.
Quoted from Flexcut themselves;

Any of the green compounds contain some amount of chrome oxide. We will not use a compound containing chrome oxide because of health related issues. The green may give you a higher color (finer finish) depending on the content of chrome. The more chrome the more aggressive its cutting, but, the more expensive the compound. This is why most consumer products have a small content of chrome. We believe that the trade off in performance of the edge as to health risk are not appreciable to warrant its use.

One surefire way, if you are using Flexcut Gold, is to ask them for an MSDS. They have to give that up. They don't have it on their site but a call to Customer Service should do the trick.

Keoma · #8 03-13-2008, 06:22 PM

Hey MisChief-I have spoke to the tech support at a company that sells yellowstone strop compound. He is going to email me any info on it tomorrow afternoon. He did tell me that there was no dire warnings listed but that he would rip into one and disect the label for me...Very nice! So I will post what he tells me then. You made me curious! So many things we touch everyday...ya jest never know!

Mischief · #9 03-13-2008, 07:14 PM

Lol! Now thats an idea...i should email Rick! and ask him

rick-in-seattle · #10 03-13-2008, 08:32 PM

I have replied to your email with the information I have and the source of the product and the MSDS. I would suggest that protective equipment be worn when using any chemical or compound.

From what I know of the compound, it contains parrafin and silica.
If there is concern about contact with chemicals etc. I would use a clean leather strop; but even leather is treated/tanned with chemicals.

Stropping can be done on other materials such as course cloth, cardboard, wood and other (for all intents and purposes) inert materials. You may even strop on a fine-hard arkansas stone.

Your husband sounds like a very thoughtful and caring man.